Cycle control switch



May 14, 1957 H. GINTOVT CYCLE CONTROL. SWITCH Filed Dec. 9, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

CYLE CONTROL SWITCH Henry Gintovt, Dover, N. H.

Application December 9, 1953, Serial No. 397,201

8 Claims. (Cl. 200-453) This invention relates to an improved electrical switch mechanism and more particularly to an improved cycle control type of switch in which means are provided for arrying out mechanical operations where two or more electrical circuits are required to be interrupted in a predetermined manner.

it is an object of the invention to provide an improved electrical switch mechanism and to devise a novel switch assembly which embodies in a single switch casing a twostep switch arrangement which is suitable for use in controlling the timing of cycles of operation of various mechanisms.

it is a further object of the invention to devise in a single switch body selector switch means of unitary construction and so formed as to be capable of taking the place of two micro switches and a solenoid. Still another object is to provide in a single switch body an apparatus which can work not only after each desired cycle but which can also make on and off after a predetermined number of cycles in a selected manner. Still another object is to devise a switch mechanism which includes a common operating shaft adapted to operate a plurality of switch mechanisms by the same rotative movement to thereby provide for a series of timed switching operations.

These and other objects and novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the improved switch mechanism of the invention with a front panel portion thereof being partly broken away to further indicate some of the working parts of the mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the mechanism shown in Pig. 1 but with the front cover panel having been removed and further indicating the switch in one operative position;

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating one of the switch elements in another position of adjustment;

Pig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3 but showing another one of the switch bar elements moved into a tripped position for completing a cycling operation;

6 is an exploded perspective View of the various rts of the switch mechanism; and

Pig. 7' is a modified form of serrated edge wheel.

The improved switch mechanism of the invention is based upon the combination of a common operating shaft mounted in a suitable casing, such as moulded plastic, with a unique selector disk and a pair of actuating spring arms which cooperate with one another to provide a novel sequence of circuit control. The structure shown in the drawings constitutes a preferred embodiment of the apparatus but it should be understood that I do not nited States Patent: 6

Patented May 1 1957 intend to limit the invention to the particular etails of construction hereinafter described and various changes and modifications may be carried out in adapting the structure to various specific problems of cycle control.

In the particular structure shown in the drawings numeral 2 denotes a casing member which comprises a box-shaped container having a bottom 5 and a front cover panel a; secured by suitable fastenings 3 and 10, as suggested in Figs. 1 and 6.

Centrally located in the base or bottom 4 of the casing 2 is a shaft member 12 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing member 14. Fixed on the shaft 12 is an insulated wt eel 16 formed with serrated edges 13 adapted to move into and out of contact with a spring 26 normally lying in resilient engagement with an electrical contact member 22 secured to a side wall of the casing 2. The spring 2% may also be fastened to the same side wall of the casing 2. External electrical terminals 23 and are electrically connected to the spring 25; contact 22 by rivets, for example, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, and are prevented from rotating by ribs 2 formed on the outer side of casing 2.

it will be observed that upon rotation of the shaft 12 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, for example, that the serrated edges of the wheel 1 will periodically press against the spring member 2e, lifting this member out of electrical contact with the member 22 to thus interrupt an electrical circuit normally closed through t .e two external terminals 23 and it will also be noted that as soon as the sp ng 2 is moved by one of the serrated edges 35, this spring member will again return into its normal position of engagement with the electrical contact 22.

in accordance with the invention l have devised a special selector mechanism for producing a controlled rotative movement of the shaft 12 in accordance with some desired cycle of operation. An important feature of this selector mechanism is a selector disk 32 keyed to the shaft 12, as suggested in Fig. 6, normally sepa rated from the wheel 16 by means of insulating plate 33 also mounted over the shaft 12. The plate is fitted into recessed edges of the casing 2 and is secured in place by the fastening members 8 and lit in a fully assembled position of these latter elements.

The selector disk 32 is particularly characterized y a serrated edge construction consisting of a series of unturned abutments, as 3 extending al the Way around the selector disk and being, in each case, uniformly spaced apart a definite distance.

Mounted freely about the shaft 12 and arranged to cooperate with the abutments 34 of the selector disk 32 are two actuating spring arms 3 and 33 wt a are normally positioned on the shaft in diametrically opposed relationship with respect to one another, as sugge ted in Fig. 6. Each of these spring arms 36 and 38 have a radial extent such that they are adapted to overlie and engage against adjacent abutments 34 on the selector dis when in a fully assembled position. Moreover, each of these actuating spring arms have their extremities formed with upturned ends which extend axially of the casing for a short distance, as may be more cl arly seen from an inspection of Fig. 4.

Mounted against these actuating spring rms and operatively connected to them are a pair of switch bars 4% and 4 These switch bars are also freely mounted on the shaft 12 and re normally held in a resiliently maintained position by means of a spring member 4%- located around the extremity of the shaft 12 and having its two extremities 44a and 44b engaging with respective stops 4i and 43, as best shown in Fig. The switch bars 49 and 42 are formed at their ends with notches do and 48 and slots 47 and 49. These notches and slots serve to permit the switch bars to engage around the projecting ends of the actuating spring arms 36 and 38 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. When thus engaged the switch bars are held in a constant position by means of the spring member 44 and yet each of the switch bars may be independently moved and each independent movement of a switch bar is adapted to produce a slight rotative movement of one or the other of the actuating spring arms without changing the position of the remaining arm.

It will readily be observed that this selective movement of the actuating spring arms may be transmitted through the abutments 34 of the selector disk 32, with the result that a selective rotative movement of the shaft 12 may be produce-d in a predetermined manner suitable for producing a cycle control operation.

Thus, in one preferred manner of operation the switch bar 42 may be depressed from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that it will assume a position such as shown in Fig. 3. It may be assumed that during the period immediately ensuing some desired mechanical operation may be initiated and allowed to proceed, as has been diagrammatically suggested by the circle C illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and including a stop S which normally moves in a path adapted to trip the edge of switch bar 40.

With the switch bar 42 in the position shown in Fig. 2 the circuit is open. When bar 42 is depressed into a position such as that shown in Fig. 3, it will rotate disk 32 through a short are of rotation sutficient to cause one of the serrated tips on the wheel 16 to move out of contact with the spring 26. In so doing the spring 20 closes an electrical circuit running through this member 20 and the electrical contact 22. Once the switch bar 42 has been thus actuated, further repeated depressing of the bar will result in no change in the setting. The circuit can only be reopened by causing the spring 20 to be tripped out of engagement with the electrical contact 22. This can be done only by first moving the switch bar 44) into the position shown in Fig. 5. Then the stop S moves by the bar 40. As this occurs the spring 44 returns the bar at to the position shown in Fig. 2 producing a further movement of the selector disk 32 and the wheel 16, one of the serrated tips of which lifts spring 20, thus breaking contact with member 22. It will be observed that the arrangement is such that the circuit cannot be again closed until the switch bar 42 has been depressed and the wheel 16 moved ahead to produce a closed position of the contacts.

It should also be noted that the switch bar 42 can only move through a limited path since it is checked by a stop 42:: on a stop plate 39. Similarly, switch bar 40 can only move through a limited path since it is checked by a stop 46:: on plate 39.

An important feature of the invention is the combination of these switch bars and stops described with the selector disk abutments, which abutments are spaced apart a distance greater than the arc of rotation through which either of the actuating spring arms can swing. Thus, it is necessary for the switch bar 42 to first move the selector disk through a short are of rotation before it is possible to rotate the switch bar 4t into a position where the actuating arm 36 will engage against the abutment 34 in a position to produce rotative movement necessary for opening the circuit. Similarly, the switch bar 4t once it has opened the circuit, can produce no further rotative movement of disk 32 until such time as the switch bar #2 has again moved selector disk ahead.

By means of this arrangement it will be observed that the switch bar 42 has only to be depressed to close the switch contacts and these contacts will remain closed irrespective of how many times the switch bar 42 may thereafter be depressed, and particularly at any time during a given cycle of operation which results in actuating the switch bar 40. Likewise, once the switch bar 40 has been tripped, the circuit is opened and will remain opened no matter how many times the bar 40 is thereafter tripped. Only by first operating the bar 42 can the bar 4t again become operative.

In Fig. 4 I have indicated in dotted lines a second casing 50 which is intended to be illustrative of assembling two or more switch units on the same common shaft 12 so that a series of additional switching operations may be carried out in any desired time relationship.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a highly effective type of electrical switch apparatus which is particularly suited for a cycle control operation and there is always available two separate circuit controls, in each casing. By riveting, or otherwise fastening another pair of contact springs and electrical contacts to the opposite side wall of the casing 2, a second circuit control operation may be accomplished and actuated from the same wheel 16. The switch can work not only after each cycle but it can be arranged so that it will make on and off for a number of cycles, if so desired, without interfering with any other switch in a given series. By using diiferent combinations of wheels such as, for example, a wheel with a modified serrated edge construction, such as that illustrated by the wheel 16:: of Fig. 7, each on and 0d operation may be controlled in any desired manner, and various other types of serrated wheels may be utilized, as required. It is also pointed out that due to the construction described the cycle control switch of the invention is substantially spark proof and dust proof. It will be apparent that this switching mechanism in one form or another can take the place of two microswitches and a solenoid while performing all of the functions normally provided by such a conventional arrangement.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that various changes and modifications in the details of construction may be resorted to in keeping with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. An improved electrical switch comprising a support member having an electrical contact element secured thereon, a second electrical contact including a spring adapted to move into and out of engagement with the said first electrical contact to open and close an electrical circuit therethrough, a rotatable member mounted in said support member, a wheel fixed on the rotatable member, said wheel presenting serrated edges for engaging against said spring and moving the same out of engagement with the said first electrical contact, a selector disk for actuating said wheel fixed on the said rotatable member, said disc presenting spaced-apart abutments, a plurality of independently operated actuating means for engaging with the abutments and producing rotative movement of the disk to operate said switch mechanism, and stop means for limiting the travel of each of said actuating means through arcs of rotation which are less in magnitude than the distance between. the said abutments.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the independently operated actuating means includes a pair of diametrically opposed switch bars mounted on said rotatable member.

3. In a switch for cycle control, a casing having electrical contacts mounted therein, a shaft rotatable in the casing, a wheel fixed on said shaft for operating the switch contacts, a selector disk fast on the shaft and presenting a plurality of uniformly spaced-apart abutments therearound, rotor means for producing rotative movement of the disk to move the contacts into an open position, rotor means under the control of said first rotor means for producing rotative movement of the disk to open said electrical contacts, and stop means carried by the casing for limiting travel of each of the said rotor means to arcs of rotation which are less in magnitude than the spacing of the said abutments.

4. A structure according to claim 3, in which the said wheel is formed with serrated edges chosen to effectuate a particular cycling operation.

5. A structure according to claim 3, in which the said shaft has supported thereon a plurality of selector discs and rotors, each of which are responsive to movement said shaft for controlling separate electrical circuits.

6. A cycle control switch comprising a switch supporting body, electrical contact elements mounted in the switch supporting body, a rotatable member received in the supporting body, an electrically insulated wheel fixed on the rotatable member in a position to rotate and move one of the electrical contact elements into and out of engagement with another of the contact elements, a selector disc fixed on the rotatable member and presenting a series of uniformly spaced-apart abutments, a pair of actu" ating bars loosely mounted on the rotatable member and projecting out from the supporting body, said bars being resiliently urged apart from one another, means for limiting movement of the bars to travel through arcs of rotation which are less in magnitude than the spacing between the said selector disc abutments, and means responsive to movement of the bars for engaging against the said selector disc abutments and selectively opening and closing the contact elements.

7. A structure according to claim 6 in which the actuating bars are spaced apart from one another in a clockwise direction and the said means for limiting movement of the bars includes spaced-apart lugs adapted to straddle the said bars.

8. An improved electrical switch comprising a support member having an electrical contact element secured thereon, a second electrical contact including a spring adapted to move into and out of engagement with the said first electrical contact to open and close an electrical circuit therethrough, a rotatable member mounted in said support member, a wheel fixed on the rotatable member, said wheel having spaced projecting portions for engaging against said spring and moving the same out of engagement with the said first electrical contact, a selector disk on the said rotatable member for actuating said wheel, said disk presenting spaced apart abutments, a plurality of independently operated actuating members for engaging the abutments and producing a limited rotative movement of the disk equal to the spacing between a pair of said abutments to operate said switch mechanisms, and stop means for limiting the travel of each of said actuating members through arcs of rotation which are less in magnitude than the distance between the abutments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,107,138 Bird Feb. 1, 1938 2,517,450 Shively Aug. 1, 1950 2,522,715 Graybill et al. Sept. 19, 1950 

